This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Lipid extraction and protein precipitation All samples were transferred from their original containers into screw-cap glass tubes. Lipids were extracted from the samples two times with chloroform:methanol:water (4:8:3). After lipid extraction, protein was precipitated with acetone:water (4:1) in ice with the concomitant removal of free sugars and contaminants. Release of N-linked glycans About 1.5 mg of each of the samples was weighed into a microcentrifuge tube and dissolved in ammonium bicarbonate buffer (50 mM, pH 8.4). The samples were placed in a heating block at 100oC for 5 min to denature protein. After cooling to room temperature, the samples were treated with trypsin and chymotypsin and incubated at 37oC overnight. Each of the tryptic-chymotryptic digests was passed through a C18 sep pak cartridge, cleaned with 5% acetic acid, and glycopeptides/peptides were eluted subsequently in series with 20% isopropanol in 5% acetic acid, 40% isopropanol in 5% acetic acid and 100% isopropanol. The eluates were dried initially under a stream of nitrogen gas and eventually lyophilized. The dried eluates were dissolved with sodium phosphate buffer, treated with PNGase F and incubated at 37oC for 18 hours to release N-linked glycans from the polypeptide chains. After incubation, the enzyme (PNGase F) digests were passed through C18 sep pak cartridges and N-linked glycans fractions were eluted with 5% acetic acid and lyophilized. Per-O-methylation of carbohydrates and purification by C18 sep-pak cartridge The PNGase-F released N- linked glycans from the seven samples were permethylated for structural characterization by mass spectrometry (Anumula and Taylor, 1992). The dried eluates were dissolved with dimethylsulfoxide and then methylated with NaOH and methyl iodide. The reaction was quenched by addition of water and per-O-methylated carbohydrates were extracted with methylene chloride. Per- O-methylated glycans were further purified by passing through a C18 sep pak cartridge, washed with nanopure water and 15% acetonitrile. Finally, cleaned permethylated glycans were eluted with 85% acetonitrile and dried under a stream of nitrogen gas. Profiling by Matrix-Assisted Laser-Desorption Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) The dried purified glycans were dissolved with methanol and crystallized with [unreadable]-dihyroxybenzoic acid (DHBA, 20 mg/mL in 50% methanol:water) matrix. Analysis of glycans present in the samples was performed in the positive ion mode by MALDI-TOF-TOF-MS using 4700 Proteomics Analyzer (Applied Biosystems).